China Pushes Local Officials to Stop Hiding Accident Reports

China’s top emergency management body has vowed to tighten oversight on local governments that conceal or delay the release of safety investigation reports, moving to plug a gap in public accountability for major disasters.

Li Haowen, director of the investigation and statistics department at the Ministry of Emergency Management, said Friday that while investigation reports for major accidents handled at the national level are routinely published in full, local authorities frequently withhold findings. Speaking at a press conference, Li outlined three primary enforcement measures to ensure compliance.